Keynote Speakers: Hire a Conference Energizer Instead

I’ve participated in lots of conferences, both as an audience member and a speaker. So I have strong opinions about the character that keynote speakers should bring to your event. When you’re hiring keynote speakers, make sure she or he is a good speaker. Sounds obvious – but the delivery of the message is as important as the message itself.

Keynote Speakers Who Help You Nap

Let’s say you’ve researched the focus and topic of your event and you’ve narrowed down speakers to people who are related thematically with what your doing. You may think you’re almost there, but you’re not. Let’s say you’re organizing a conference on economics. Would you want this guy to speak?

Yep, you can’t beat Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for entertainment. And for giving us that boring economics professor. I’ve been in the audience at high level conventions with speakers like the guy in this video clip. It’s not fun. And nobody will remember the take-aways!

Consider A Conference Energizer

When I’m hired as one of the keynote speakers at a conference, it’s not about me – it’s about you (the audience). My goal is to listen, at least as much as I speak, and hopefully more. Engagement is a hot topic these days. But talking about engagement can begin to sound awfully like a lecture – and that’s certainly not engaging. When I make a presentation to a group, I’m not really talking, as much as conversing with everyone to get them to share their own ideas and stories. A great speaker is by definition a conference energizer too. You want your audience to be engaged, active and inspired when they leave a presentation. You want them to be energized at a new level. One of the best speakers I’ve heard had climbed Mt. Everest. I felt like I was on the journey with him during his presentation. And I walked away believing I could conquer the world.